Semarang, 2026 – The Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) organized a Community Service activity focusing on capacity building in digital marketing for handicraft MSMEs in Kesongo Village, Tuntang District, Semarang Regency. This activity is an implementation of the lecturers’ academic expertise in marketing strategy, particularly digital marketing, as well as an effort to enhance the quality of Business Administration lecturers through direct fieldwork. The program involved a team of lecturers and students in providing assistance based on problem-solving for the challenges faced by MSME owners.
This program is designed as a contextual learning medium for lecturers to apply the concepts of Segmenting, Targeting, Positioning (STP), branding, and digital marketing in real-world conditions. In general, this activity aims to enhance the capability of bamboo artisans in managing digital marketing structurally, building brand identity, and expanding market access through social media and marketplaces. The focus of the activity includes strengthening digital marketing strategies, increasing technological literacy, and optimizing the use of digital platforms to support sales.
The implementation of the activity began with a socialization phase and a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the bamboo artisans to identify key issues, such as the low usage of social media, the absence of a content strategy, and the minimal utilization of marketplaces. This phase also included collecting baseline data regarding turnover, product volume, and marketing channels, which served as the foundation for program formulation. The results of this identification process then became the reference for designing training sessions tailored to the partners’ needs.
Subsequently, the community service team organized practice-based technical training, which included workshops on brand identity development, digital content creation, as well as social media and marketplace management. Artisans were trained in product photography using smartphones, writing persuasive captions, and creating a marketing content calendar. In addition, training was provided on creating marketplace accounts, uploading products, and simulating transactions and shipping. This activity also encouraged product diversification to support the digital marketing strategy, ensuring a more varied and appealing product catalog.
During the implementation phase, the artisans received guidance in applying simple technologies, such as utilizing Instagram Business, TikTok, and marketplaces, as well as creating digital catalogs using simple design applications. Furthermore, training on digital-based sales recording was conducted to assist partners in evaluating their business performance. The community service team periodically monitored content development, engagement, and sales transactions to ensure the digital marketing strategy operated optimally.
The results of the activity showed an increase in the artisans’ capacity to manage digital marketing, build brand awareness, and expand market reach. Social media accounts began to be managed more structurally, marketplaces started to be utilized as sales channels, and there was a boost in potential transactions and business turnover. Through this initiative, the UNDIP Department of Business Administration reaffirms its commitment to fulfilling the Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi (Three Pillars of Higher Education), specifically community service, while leveraging this activity as a strategic means to enhance the competence and quality of lecturers through the direct implementation of academic expertise in digital marketing strategy.